#i think the 'treating character like a creature' thing is fun

[tyrantisterror]

A Flight of Dragons, I Command It! A FLIGHT! OF! DRAGONS!

doom DOOM DOOM

Hey fuckers, it's February and my Seasonal Affective Disorder is at its fucking PEAK, so it's gonna get REAL weird around here for a while. Luckily, my old ass has spent the last thirty-some years figuring out how to deal with this particular recurring problem, and one of the many tools and tricks I've learned is an age old classic:

I gotta treat myself.

So, ok, I work at a daycare, and one of the things that's very popular with the kids these days are 3-D printed dragons. They're inexpensive, customizable, and pretty easy to transport and store, so it's no wonder kids like them. But, you know, I'm something of a child at heart myself, and I love dragons, so when I saw my kids bringing all these 3-D printed dragons to the center... well, I got a bit envious. And, well... when you're an adult with disposable income... there's no one STOPPING you from buying a 3-D printed dragon for yourself.

Or two.

Or three.

Or... lots. Lots and lots. Because you're an adult and they don't cost much money and you've always loved having swarms/herds/big families of creatures ever since you were a kid, and because it was January when this idea struck you and looking at the estimated time of arrival on etsy for these things you realized most of them would arrive by February, when you might NEED the serotonin provided by having a big ol' flight of dragons.

So let's go on a journey, fuckers. A journey of excess, a journey into imagination, a journey through the marvelous world of people with 3-D printers making a quick buck on etsy. Let's look at some fucking dragons.

I'm going to go ahead and link the store pages for each dragon I purchased, in case you too are deranged and need some dragons in your life, and because I want to give some form of credit to the artists who made these. Granted, that won't always be possible - while a few of these seemed to be unique to the shops I bought them from, many of them could be found from NUMEROUS sellers, which makes it difficult if not impossible to figure out who originally programmed the project files for them to be 3-D printed from.

Case in point is The Crystal Dragon here, which can be found in SO MANY etsy stores. Most of the 3-D printed dragons my students at the daycare had were of this variety, in fact, so it seems to be a very popular pattern for 3-D printing. It's definitely a cute and pretty little thing, and sort of sets the standard bar for a 3-D printed dragon. I wish the face was a bit more detailed, but the rough, angular nature of it does help convey the idea that this thing is made of crystals.

The second most common design, as far as I can tell anyway, is this Chinese Dragon/Loong (oh hey, they used my favorite English spelling!). I really like the face of this guy, and it seems like an excellent rendition of the standard East Asian dragon design - there's even tiny holes under its nostrils where you could insert a wire or thread to serve as its barbells, though most sellers (including the one I bought from) don't make use of it.

While most of the dragons I bought are "realistic," there were some cartoony/more stylized ones for sale that I decided to partake in. This little guy is one such dragon, and I think he's probably the best one to get if you're buying for a kid - the smoother body and smaller, nubbier horns makes it less likely to break, and just a bit more fun to play with in your hands. These things are often marketed as fidgets, after all, so the tactile feel of them is something to take into account.

While on the surface just a variation of the fidgets we've seen so far, this dragon has one particularly clever feat of engineering: because of the way the spikes on its neck are set up, you can get its head in a nice "snake rearing up to strike" position, which, combined with its distinctive short-snouted face, goes a long way to giving it an extra bit of character among the 3-D printed dragons.

While most of the dragons I found seemed to have the same simple color options to choose from, a few sellers seemed to have their own custom ones that were unique to their shop. This mix of bronze and olive greens was unique to this particular dragon, which, along with its painted eyes, really helps its stand out! I will note that the joints of this dragon tend to stick a bit more than my other dragons - perhaps a result of using different plastic colors than is standard? - but if you let gravity do its work they'll sort themselves out, and it's worth it to have such a striking little fellow.

Since this particular style of toy really suits serpentine creatures better than all else, I decided to look for some explicitly marine dragons to add to the group. I really like this sea serpent I found, which comes is very basic crayola-ish plain colors, but has just enough personality in its sculpt (and eyes and teeth in different colors) to stand out.

If you're looking for sea dragons on etsy, though, you're much more likely to encounter this fellow, which almost every store selling it calls Jormungandr and/or the Midgard Serpent. It's got these vaguely Nordic runes carved into it, as well as grooves in its tail designed to fit its prominent fangs so it can make an ouroboros, which makes the Jormungandr connection feel pretty intentional. It's a really distinct design, but I do think it's a little funny that it's far from the beefiest of my dragons. I wonder if there's a shop that sells an upsized model...

While not notable in terms of engineering, paint work, or plastic color options, this dragon IS notable in having heads based on a statue of Quetzalcoatl, who is in turn one of my favorite mythological figures, so I had to get it.

Of course, I also wanted a Quetzalcoatl-style feathered serpent that had the classic "winged snake" look, and this one fit the bill well enough. It originally came with little hair clips attached to its underside, allowing it to cling to your head and/or clothes, which I thought was really clever... but I also didn't like the clips sticking out from under the little thing so I took them off. A lovely little dragon either way, though.

So, ok, I'd been going relatively cheap at this point, but as I shopped I was struck with a sort of passing fancy, an idle thought... what was the most elaborate, fanciest 3-D printed dragon I could get? It's not this one, mind you, but this was very much the start of that rabbit hole. While mechanically it's not significantly different than the dragons we've seen till now, the amount of colors it's printed in immediately make it stand out as a higher quality dragon.

The same store that sold the dragon above also sold this fellow, which may well be my favorite of the many East Asian dragons I found on this little quest. Just look at that wonderfully monstrous face! And he's got a pearl, the little devil!

While the color of the plastic and the engineering of this sea dragon may not seem particularly notable, what has to be taken into account here is the sheer SIZE of this lass. This is one of the biggest dragons of my lot, not only in length but in sheer girth and weight of its joints. The Midgar Serpent needs to move over, this is the REAL leviathan of my 3-D printed dragon collection.

Of course, if you know me, you know I'm a basic bitch who loves the European "four legs and two wings" style of dragon the most of all, so my search for fancy 3-D printed dragons started to focus on finding some that fit this description. I can't actually find the store page for this guy anymore (it's not in my past purchases on etsy for some reason), but it's a pretty solid low budget take on the concept. But we can do better - and we will...

But first, a detour to some wyverns! This little guy is really cute, with a head based on the Peter Jackson Herbit movie's design for Smaug, and a feathery little body that makes it looks like a fantastical archeopteryx.

The same shop makes a more reptile-ish dragon, with leathery wings and scaly skin, which I got in a larger size because, well, you know my preferences. It's like the perfect size to perch on your shoulder, though I'd want something to hold it in place because I'm pretty sure falling off from that height onto a hardwood floor would be the end of it.

There's no shop link for this one or the next because it was a freebie - which is to say I didn't actually order this dragon, but found it in one of my packages as a free gift from the seller. That's the nice thing about shopping on places like etsy and ebay - sometimes the people on the other side of the screen are really solid and decide to give you an extra little treat. This is clearly a Games of Throne-style wyvern specifically, based on the proportions and the shape of the head, and that's pretty cool. The dragons are one of the only things that made it out of that show still looking cool.

The second freebie dragons I got were these little toys of Toothless and Girl Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. Look at them, they're so cute!

But now... now it's time for the answer to the question:

What

Is the most Deluxe 3-D Printed Dragon

I can get?

The Bronze Medal goes to this marvelous dragon here, which feels like it flew right off of some medieval coat of arms and into my own flesh and blood ones. It's solid, beautifully sculpted, and full of articulation points. However, the method in which it's articulated makes it a bit frustrating to pose, as some of these joints end up bending and twisting in ways you don't want them too. Still an excellent dragon, mind you, but outdone by the next two...

The Silver Medal goes to this marvelous wyvern, which has much tighter joints that are a lot less frustrating to pose. Its wings are a mixture of cloth and plastic, allowing them to flex and bend into a variety of poses (though admittedly the weight of the wings keeps them from holding most of those poses very well). Also, look at that regal face, that sleek sculpt, and those elegant proportions! It's almost a perfect dragon for me. Almost.

My one and only gripe with the previous dragon is that, well, I'm a basic bitch who likes dragons with four legs and two wings the best! And what do you know, they made one of those too! And god, does this dragon look magnificent in person, sporting all of the elegance of the dragon above but with magnificent grasping hands! HANDS! Hands that you'll have to be careful with because the joints are a little loose and like to pop off when you play with them, but still, HANDS!

This is a high enough point to end off on, but there's one more 3-D printed gift I'd like to cover here. My favorite one.

Well, ones I guess. This all started with my students, and well, some of them noted my interest in the 3-D printed dragons they were bringing to school. And a couple of them actually ended up getting 3-D printers of their own (well, their parents' own, ayway) and decided to print off a dragon and a crocodile for me - smaller than all the other dragons here (except the Toothless keycains), but no less dear for it. I guess one of the pros about taking an active interest in the things your students like and letting them gush about it is that they might give you a 3-D printed dragon or crocodile out of the kindness in their little hearts.

[oblique-lane]

"RED and BLU mercs look the same because of the game mechanic! They represent different people while using the same models! YOU are the player, so YOU are the mercenary too!"

Fair, but. Even if it is just a game limitation... I can't help but be confused as to WHY those game characters are SO UNIQUE IN PERSONALITIES if they are meant to be a representative mass?

I have to questions to hl1 scientist. No question no hl2 citizens. To CS characters. They are plain and faceless, they are meant to be background masses.

Tf2 mercs, however? SO unique and distinct. Their shapes and bodies, their movements, their voicelines - even with no particular story about them, there's SO MUCH personality! They have to be heroes! Not JUST classes!

I've never understood the explanation "they are different people who look similar to eachother" because eeehh... Have fun as you want, but I'm personally not convinced. Even with a rhetoric "Heavies have to be strong af and scouts have to be fast and small and all medics are insane and Germans" that's still not it.

Obviously I don't think about it while playing the game, but when it's time to think about the lore... The comics never answered the question of who the teams are - retconed and ignored.

I was surprised and confused as to why it was never brought up anywhere in canon. Maybe because this case is so exceptional and unique to tf2, it was actually cursed by it's own greatness?

Let's be real, tf2 characters are heroes. Yet unlike Overwatch and such, players ARE allowed to have as many repeating classes as they want. Moreso - the opposite team is designed to be the same characters.

What the fuck.

Tf2 mercs exist in a superposition where they are more than just classes but not enough humans to be heroes.

And that brings us to my other point...

Now you might say "but the lore is goofy, they WOULD hire people with very specific features –" shhhhh. Don't you see? That's part of the issue.

The mercs are constantly dehumanized.

For whatever reason people think is useful. In the comics they are shown to be absolute idiots for comedic effect, sometimes flanderizing them even, reducing any human feature that isn't funny enough.

In fandom it's enough to just dress a merc in different clothes for people to start calling them OCs. Even if you didn't mean to make an oc.

With the goddamn clone theory I've seen people often saying that since BLU are clones, they are subhuman/unworthy - authors thoughts, not just in-univrse rhetoric.

It's almost as... Tf2 mercs are not human but a species??? Creatures without autonomy?

Always been like this?

Maybe I'm the only one bothered by this, but... You know me, I'm a no fun who loves taking this kind of shit seriously.

...

I started from talking about why they look identical on different teams. I think the clone theory is very probable, even though many people say it's cringe. The clone theory would make so much sense if it was real.

Recently I've watched Mickey 17. It felt so good to be finally understood. Every point of this film is all the things I feel towards tf2.

Respawn makes you less human. And corporations treat you as expendable, always. If they find a way to dehumanize you, it will be easier to convince everyone that you deserve violence/it's not a big deal.

If in tf2 the two identical megacorps fight with eachother over power (tf2 wiki/ original game setting), it would make all the sense for them to just clone the 9 mercs and make them expendable. It's cheaper. Emesis Blue did it right.

And since everyone thinks that the mercs are subhuman, because they are stereotypes, because stupid illiterate criminals, because they're psychopaths, because they're clones, because they're expendable... No one ever thinks to look behind it and see them as people.

Cloning is inherently a horror. When I just entered the fandom, I was convinced there will be some horror level lore underneath the silly game. It made sense.

But there was none of it.

I might be the one stupid here for thinking about tf2 that way. But I can't change my perspective now. To me the whole tf2 lore situation is just a recursive mirror on itself: the whole thing almost begs to be analyzed existentially but isn't because the goofy part of it is so sacred, it cannot be destroyed. As if taking tf2 seriously is almost a taboo.

"Don't look there, there's nothing there, don't think about it, they're silly, it's just a game" then why do I keep seeing holes on this curtain???

Purposefully not thinking about the lore is constant effort. It cannot be truly silly at least because it's war. If there's no respawn, it's scary because they can die anytime. If there is respawn - it's triple scary, because they don't belong to themselves.

In-game voicelines suggest that respawn does exist. Even if they love fighting and treat it like we treat videogames - since they are practically immortal - it's still inherently horror. Even if it's a comedy, ignoring the basic technical aspects of the world and covering up with "everything is unserious and stupid" agenda... Is ironically suspicious. For me.

It's almost as if they're trying to hide something underneath all this silliness. I know they don't. But it feels like it. It feels like a propaganda so people don't dare to try explaining how this world logically works.

A second you try to dissect the lore and it crumbles apart. It contradicts itself and it overcompensates for what it's not. It crumbles. I've stumbled upon it a hundred times for all these years in the fandom...

When you play the game you see so much environmental storytelling - the coverups of spy tech, the cold war, nukes and stuff... The early wiki info told us about megacorps who want to rule the world. It's realistic and pragmatic and so fun. Close to earth. When I play on the older maps I keep wondering what it was really about. I wonder about who the characters are, how did they get on this war?

But what I got was "the mercs are very stupid, and everything in this world is stupid because old people fight over nothing, and once they die everyone lives happily ever after AFTER SACRIFICING NOTHING". The mercs aren't even the main characters. We still know fucking nothing about them, about why they fight– they don't even fight for the same thing as in game. Everything is retconed.

I feel so conflicted. I know people love the comics but I can't help but hate it, I'm sorry. The same questions I had joining the fandom almost 2 years ago - I still have them now. It's itching, it's uncomfortable to stand in a lore which is a mess and will never be explained.

I looked at the lore with a suspicious squint, trying to compromise: maybe there IS something about the worldbuilding that I've missed that would make sense. I've analysed left and right– no. There's nothing of my interest. I had to explain things myself and it only started make sense once I stopped relying on the comics, like, at all.

And once you strip away the comics, there's barely anything left. Just the game, the bits and crumbs from the wiki...

The tf2 I enjoy now is the tf2 50% of which I created in my head to overcompensate. But who am I? I'm not Valve. I'm uncomfortable with that. Because while the lore now makes sense in my head, it's still just headcanons.

People don't know it.

I feel pretty lonely in this situation.

(This post should've been be just about dehumanization in the context of tf2, but I've noticed that everything I hurt about this media is a one big thing and one doesn't go without another. Someday I will let go.)

[slumbrr-r]

QnA

------------------------------------ It's a bit long, and sorry to those I mention.

Humans are a weird thing, I was originally going to have them in the AU; but decided against it.

Comic making is fun when you try to do things you like; if you're stuck on it being perfect, you'll never get to enjoy what you make.

I took inspiration from a lot of things.

Freedom. If you want to make a cool character design; start with things you like from media. Everyone can make a cool character!

@fizzyboy's Wasteland AU is such a nice treat to see. I like the way the characters are portrayed and the ichor creatures. Specially the blobs. @chocobje's Field Research AU is also one I like because it feels so OG dandy's world while still being so unique. The colors are nice and the designs too. @modcroissant 's tamed twisteds au? One of the first ones I ever saw when I first started the game. I liked the idea cause I kind of got attached to the twisteds lmao. Also, it's funny to imagine Boxten and Poppy's army jumping you.

...never drag me back to those days.

I like everyone's oc they make though. Specially Modcroissant's designs, so eye-pleasing. Seriously, if I could I would've drawn every single oc I've seen back to the creators cause they're so cool.

But um, I think my body would give out.

...yeah. I'm in trouble...

Seriously, some of these other applications give me trouble.

Thanks for participating in this little QNA :) I hope to continue making cool things for you all to enjoy.

[polymc]

Poly!MC with the Ghouls Headcannons [pt. 1]

Author's Note: MC is dating all the ghouls, but everything is in sections. Also, what do you guys think of the new layout? :>

Pairings: Frostheim, Vagastrom, Jabberwock, Sinostra, Hotarubi, Obscuary, Mortkranken

TW: Characters might be a little ooc so I apologize for that, I also started writing this after I finished episode 7 so sorry if some things are wrong.

MC uses They/Them pronouns and is kept blank

✗ Minors/Ageless blogs DNI, Go away please. ✗

- Frostheim -

Going on dates with the frostheim guys is going to be a lot fun for everyone... except Kaito. The 3 rich boys always pick something that is very nice and fancy for their MC while Kaito is just stressing out over why a steak is $200. Luckily this isn't always the case thanks to you and Lucas. You always make sure to do something where everyone is enjoying the date.

Kaito and Luca are the ones around you the most during school hours. They are always so protective of you and don't take shit from anyone. Someone insulted you? Lucas will defend your honor. You feel lonely? Kaito is currently running towards your location.

Jin and Tohma though, they are both on another level. They act and treat you mostly the same as they always did but if you look closer, you'll see small things that they'll do for you. For example, You just returned from giving papers to the chancellor and there they are, sitting at a table with your favorite snacks and tea/drink you like.

- Vagastrom -

Date planning is mostly picked out by either Leo or Sho. Alan has attempted but poor sweet himbo has no idea what he's doing. Leo usually takes the lead on what to do but Sho picks out food spots. Alan just likes to tag along and enjoys seeing the three of you happy. If you all somehow get separated, please hope Alan isn't alone otherwise you all have to decipher his texts on where he's at.

Leo and Sho are menaces to society. They love teasing you separately but together? Different story. Leo of course loves flaunting online about you two dating(he already was but now it's true). Sho is a secret sweetheart. He loves when you stop by his food truck and even makes sure to save you your favorite drink when you order.

Poor Alan. I imagine that even in a relationship, he still berates himself and holds back because he's scared to hurt you in any way. It takes you, Leo, and Sho to get him to see that it's okay. Other than that, Alan looks scary but he cares a lot about you. Please hold his hand, he will turn into mush if you do-

- Jabberwock -

Dates are always different. Sometimes you're enjoying having a picnic and sometimes you're watch movies. Once it was too late to go out and do anything so you all(Mainly you and Haru)built a blanket fort. Ren picked out a few movies you all could watch

Towa koala clings to you or makes you wrap your arms and legs around him. Personal space? What's that?? Sometimes he'll drag Haru into the mix too. You can't even step foot into Jabberwock without getting tackled by him. Ren on the other hand likes his one on one time with you and shows his affection privately. He'll make small gestures like saving you a spot at the restaurant or showing you the best ways to level up a character.

Haru is a big sweetheart. He'll still ask for your help but on occasion, he'll zoom past you and give a quick smooch on the cheek. He secretly loves watching you be around Towa and Ren, It makes him feel very happy seeing you all interact. Be prepared to raise a round rabbit creature with him! Peekaboo is now your son and you must raise the round boi with Haru.

- Sinostra -

You're either getting the sugar baby experience at full effect or you're spoiling your 3 crazy men. These 3 are gonna spoil you rotten but sorry it's not for free, They always want something in return. I got you this necklace! Now you can't leave me for the next 24 hours. It may seem crazy but they're crazy about you so win win.

Ritsu will still record things during your dates. Sometimes to hold it against you(affectionately) but I can see him rewinding it a few times just to remember your favorite color. He is a gentleman through and through, even if he has strange ways of showing it. Romeo? Oh the amount of times you hate kissed that man is unbelievable. Romeo still acts the same as before but he still shows he cares in little signs. BB Isn't basic bitch anymore... It's beautiful bitch(I'm joking... Maybe).

Taiga... Is Taiga. Just like Romeo, He is still the same, nothing has really changed but he is a lot more forward and touchy. You're sitting and eating your lunch? Not anymore! Taiga literally grabs you and drags you away because he wants you on his lap while he gambles. He has no idea what personal space is and could careless. He'll sometimes drag Romeo as well into his plans.

- Hotarubi -

SWEET. DATES. I can not stress enough how relaxing and mundane their dates would be. If you ever need to destress, they are right there for you. If you're ever feeling stressed, head over to Hotarubi and they will pamper you. Going on walks around the dorm or just sitting eating snacks seems, they love it and spending time with you on top of that? Perfect.

Haku is as flirtatious as ever, that won't ever change except now he's more touchy. You'll be focused on writing and he'll just stare at you before playing with your hair or running a finger over your cheek. He'll just smile at you while you sit there confused. Zenji, the sweet romantic, has so many things planned for his dear. He will stop by your dorm once in awhile to make sure his dear partner is doing okay, of course he'll give you space when you ask too! Be prepared to be romanced by song

Subaru, oh sweet Subaru. He is so scared of you. He adores and loves you of course! But he is terrified to mess things up so please be ready to remind him at times you love him too. The first time he accidentally read your thoughts, he felt so bad that he kept his distance for a while. But when you told him it was okay and to listen again, he heard that you cared for him and all he could do was hug you tightly.

- Obscuary -

One word. Chaos. 2 of them know how dates are supposed to go and one doesn't even know what a date is. Besides that, it's quite the adventure when it comes to going out with the three of them. Rui is the expert here so most of the dates are planned by him. Most of the time it's Rui and Edward watching you and Lyca run around but they don't mind.

Rui is a simp for you. Period. Having someone who cares about him, curse and all, is all he could ever ask for. He's still flirty of course but only for you, he's your number 1 fan(He would say that). Lyca has no fucking clue on relationships but he doesn't care. He is so protective of you that he'll growl if anyone even looks at you funny. He tries to carry you places and he says it's because you're slow but really he likes holding you and having your smell close

Edward. Is. 100%. A threat. You are in trouble if you're left alone with him. He'll spew romantic words at you until you're red in the face and then ask to watch YouTube. Most of the time you ever go out, it's at night and never really far from the dorm. One time, he turned into a bat just to get some attention from you.

- Mortkranken -

These 2 have no idea what they're doing so you're going to have to be the one to suggest any sort of date and even when you do, you get a flustered Yuri and a confused Jiro. Yuri has even dragged Jiro to help him pick an outfit while Jiro is already ready to go. Dates remain mostly small and relaxing. A museum or an aquarium is the main spot for these 2, Be ready to get an earful of knowledge though.

At the times you are at mortkranken, you basically follow Yuri and Jiro around the whole time. If you get sidetracked or lost, Yuri panics where you could have gone. While he panics, Jiro has already texted you asking where you went. Jiro still loves scaring you but you'll get a kiss on the forehead afterwards at least, He loves teasing you. He holds your hand every chance he can get.

Yuri demands attention from you all the time. Be ready for the biggest tsundere ever because even when dating, this man will still act like he isn't looking at your stupid adorable face. You once wrapped your arms around him and he lectured you about it but when you tried to pull away, he tightened your arms around him and huffed.

- Everyone / Random -

Sho spends his lunch break with you and Subaru. Sometimes Leo and/or Lyca will join.

You working at Rui's bar causes the usuals to stay a bit longer than usual. They secretly enjoy seeing you run around behind the bar with your cute apron on.

Towa loves taking you around Jabberwock with Zenji. They both smother you with affection and try to make you swoon for them.

Kaito runs to you whenever Romeo is chasing him. He hopes that you can "presway" him into leaving him alone. Half the time it doesn't work, the other half it does but then Kaito is jealous and starts to follow you guys.

Hyde and Moby have a bet on your relationship. For example they once had a bet on Jin vs Alan on who can woo you silently better. That didn't last long because as soon as the ghouls found out they put a stop to it.

The first ever date they went on was chaos but they all had fun. You almost didn't leave because some were arguing about who sat next to you on the train. Leo, Towa, and Rui managed to sneak off with you without anyone noticing first.

Even though you're in a poly relationship, you make sure to give everyone one on one time because let's be honest these boys still get jelly/possessive.

Sleepovers at your place would be insane. It is utter chaos but imagine the potential for the best fort ever.

There was something called "The ghoul chase" where no one could find you and all the ghouls went crazy running around looking for you. You were just petting the cats though-

[rottenpumpkin13]

AGSZC Streamer AU - what are their preferred games and what are they most famous for?

Sephiroth: Horror game specialist who gained notoriety for his completely deadpan reactions to jump scares. Famous for treating every horror game like a nature documentary: "Observe the careful arrangement of viscera. The arterial spray pattern suggests this creature has a fascinating understanding of human anatomy." *JUMP SCARE* "How quaint."

Think of him discussing the improbable biology of monsters while they're actively trying to kill him.

Angeal: Specializes in calming, indie games. He even somehow makes indie horror games soothing. He became famous for his unintentionally ASMR-like voice that has viewers falling asleep mid-stream. His chat is full of "I use your streams to fall asleep" and "Your voice could calm a raging behemoth." Even when he's fighting the hardest bosses his commentary sounds like a relaxation tape. Unless he's playing a cooking simulator. Then the stream becomes "WHO DESIGNED THESE PHYSICS?! THE SOUP SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT!" and "WHO TRAINED THESE DIGITAL SOUS CHEFS!??" and of course "I QUIT. I CAN'T WORK LIKE THIS!"

Zack: Dominates FPS games with pure chaotic energy, but he's not known for being the best, he's famous for having the most fun. His streams are full of "GUYS THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER" while he's getting absolutely demolished, but his enthusiasm is so genuine that people tune in just to hear him lose his mind over cool weapons and character designs. He treats every match like it's the most exciting thing ever, win or lose.

Genesis: Lives for RPGs and narrative-heavy games. Famous for turning his streams into lore-heavy analysis sessions. He'll pause mid-game to give a 20-minute lecture about how this one side quest parallels Loveless. His viewers come for the games but stay for his deep-dives, obscure plot points, and how attractive he is.

Cloud: Queens Blood champion streamer, with regular tournament streams and strategy sessions. Famous for his call-in segment where players present their problems and he solves them while dealing with increasingly frustrated callers: "No, you can't just stack all your powerful cards in one deck. No—listen—no, that's not—*sigh* "Your strategy has more holes than the Sector 5 plate. Okay, we're going to start from the beginning, and this time try to pretend you've actually played a card game before."

[0viraptoraskblog]

How will the btd and tpof characters react when their victim is a beastkin like Ren? Especially, I want to know how Ren will react and how he will treat them. Im also curious about other characters, too :0

Ooh I’ve thought about this! I’m glad someone asked it ^^

Let’s just go down the line:

Rire- I think Rire would be intrigued with a beastkin. He finds humans entertaining to some extent, or at least he hopes to find the entertaining ones, but they tend to be mostly the same. That can get boring after a while. A beastkin would be something new to shake it up a bit. You behave differently, look differently, and are just.. new. He finds that exciting. He might test the limits of your body; he knows how humans work, but how are you different?

Sano- Sano would be very interested in a beastkin. I think he’d be eager to study your anatomy (oh god I want to write something like that now) and see how you differ from humans. After all, he’s inhuman too, and it’s rare to get to experiment with another species. He’d be more careful to keep you alive, since you’re unique. He wants to know everything about you. I think he might be more inclined to make you into a doll if you were a beastkin, especially something cute like a bunny. There’s just something so special and innocent about you, in his eyes. You’d be the first animal-like one in his collection, and he’d make sure you were perfect, with handmade outfits to accommodate your tail and lots of care.

Akira- Akira is canonically an animal lover, and talks about how snakes aren’t really bad, they’re just misunderstood. That’s a nod to himself as a naga, but I think he’d think that about any hybrid species like a beastkin too. He’d be welcoming of the differences and would love learning about you. When he’s not angry, Akira can actually be a pretty nice guy. If you were on his bad side though, I don’t think it would change his behavior much. It’d only give him more to do- maybe declaw you along with your teeth? Who knows.

Strade- I mean, we already know ;) he likes people for their reactions and behavior, but he does find the beastkin aspect interesting/cute. Plus, you might have different behaviors due to your animal traits! I think he may also try to get you and Ren to play his ‘games’ together, since you’re both beastkin. He wants you guys to be friends! And he totally won’t use it against you later. Totally.

Ren- Ren would adore another beastkin, for multiple reasons. The main one, he finally has someone like him! You understand what he is and what it’s like to be a beastkin. He feels more understood and almost ‘welcome’ with you, if that makes sense. He’s not afraid of being judged or seen as a strange creature, like some people might think. He’s also happy to have someone who shares animal traits! You both have different instincts and body languages than humans, it’s something to connect over. As stated by gato, Ren also has a bit of a fetish for those with animal parts (ears and tail and such). It’s probably an instinct thing, it makes sense that a beastkin would be attracted to another beastkin, right? And someone who also goes through a heat/rut cycle? Oh, he’s infatuated. And he knows all your sensitive spots (like the ears for example) because he has them too :] On a darker path, Ren would still enjoy treating you like a pet and taking the role of master. Although, since he makes the human MC eat from a dog bowl in BTD2, I don’t think his behavior would change much with you being a beastkin. Unlike some of the other characters I write about here, I don’t think he’d make fun of you for that because he’s a beastkin himself. He can still be cruel, but you being part animal doesn’t make that worse. You’re still his pet regardless, just one that’s more similar to him.

Lawrence- I think Lawrence would be extremely interested. He’s cut apart many humans, looked at their organs, their bone structure. He’s done the same with animals. But this? A combination of the two? That’s new. He wants to touch you, cut you open, see how your body is different. Do you have a tail? How does it differ from your spine? Do you have claws? Animal ears? Animal eyes? He’s fascinated. You’d make a beautiful piece of art, but.. part of him might want to keep you around. He’s always been misunderstood by people, and seen as ‘less than human’. Maybe you understand what it’s like..?

Vincent- Loves it! He’s inhuman himself, and finding someone else with animal traits makes him feel understood. It’s nice to have someone who shares that with him instead of viewing him as a monster. He’d be more likely to add you to the pack, too.

Farz- Farz would like a beastkin, or possibly be indifferent. I mean, he already has a werewolf boyfriend, and loves animals, so I think he’d like it. Plus, it separates you from being ‘just another person’, and might help him soften up towards you a little. However, he loves birds, and it’s stated that he hates cats since they kill birds. If you’re a cat beastkin, things might be.. tense for a while. Sleep with one eye open.

Cain- I think he’d be fond of a beastkin. It sparks his interest— you’re different, you have a secret. He can probably sense something is off about you when you first meet, even though you’re hiding your ears/animal traits. The worst thing you can be to Cain is boring, but you aren’t. He wants to know more. I think once he brings you home, he’d be more inclined to keep you just because of how different you are. He treats you more or less the same, although he may be a bit degrading in relation to you being part animal.

Derek- oh boy. He loves it, but he shows that in constant degradation. He treats you like a dog, even more than he would with a normal human (regardless of what animal you are). You’ll stay in a dog crate, wear a collar (if you’re allowed to wear anything at all), maybe a muzzle, etc. Anything he can do to humiliate you. And he’d kick that cage until you start cowering from him the moment he walks in the door. He also likes the idea of having a beastkin because it’s rare and unique, kind of like a personal status thing that he owns one, but that’s overshadowed by the sick joy he gets from treating you like an animal. He’d pick on you for it, constantly talking about how you’re nothing better than a dog. Even after you’ve been with him a while, and maybe earn some more privileges, he seems like the guy to shove you off the bed suddenly because “pets sleep on the floor.” He’d do that with a human too, but he’s extra mean about it with you, always making sure to point out the fact that he’s above you on a species level. Abusive and dehumanizing.

Celia- She would find that especially interesting. Her goal is to bring out a more pet-like behavior in her captive (especially involving Stockholm syndrome), hence her nickname for you. In her eyes, not only is having a beastkin more rare and almost a luxury, but the animal aspects make you a bigger candidate for those traits. It means you can be trained easier, just like an animal. You’re also more likely to lie down at her feet like one. I think she’d have you on a leash in no time.

Mason- Mason upgraded to hunting humans because he wanted something new from animals. He wanted a bigger challenge (hunting a predator is better than prey. A ‘the most dangerous game’ mentality). A beastkin though? That’s something he’s never done. Maybe it’s a step back towards animals, but he doesn’t think of it that way— he sees it as a human’s ability to strategize and fight with an animals instincts. He’d definitely pay top dollar for a chance to hunt one, at least once.

Fox- Similar to Ren, but much more controlling. Human or beastkin, he still sees you as a pet. I think you being a beastkin only makes the ‘treating you like an animal’ aspect more realistic (collars, etc) but in all honestly, he’d do those things with a regular human too. That’s the main difference from young Ren, is that now he’s alright dehumanizing you a bit despite the fact that he’s beastkin too. He does enjoy having another beastkin around though. You understand and share aspects of him that humans don’t. You might even end up sharing a heat/rut schedule, because of hormones changing due to the close proximity. He’ll always favor you a bit in comparison to the humans he works with.

[pankielovesfan]

The Prime Shimmer breaks Fan's code and that's really cool

I've recently thought more about just how incredibly important The Prime Shimmer IS to Fan's entire story and character, and about breaking apart from the show and helping him put in effort to improve. Even if this was already established and said countless times, I've started to understand it even deeper when I think about it more sooo I wanted to write this out

As the core part of Fan, he loves the show and all its characters. Everything he's ever known and been surrounded with has been related to it and he loves Inanimate Insanity very much and is practically made of that admiration. However, the first time he comes in contact with something from outside the show, it's the shimmer egg. Something he clings to desperately.

The fact that the egg is the first thing he's interacted with that isn't part of the show means a lot to his character, considering how he immediately attaches to it, takes care of it, and values it so deeply. As said by Fan himself on his blog - before he had the shimmer egg with him, he didn't even know how to care. It shows just how significant the egg is for Fan's development in so, so many different ways for representing his path in life. Not sure how to work this into it, but he's mentioned how the egg also helped him feel less lonely.

When he meets them, the way Fan treats The Prime Shimmer in the show is very unique to his character and has always been... so different. He's typically very disconnected from other people, especially with how he's supposed to be a "viewer" for the show, and experiences little to no empathy or care for others because of his love for inanimate insanity as a show, and how he claims to not even know how to care at first. The finale really highlights his feelings for the aliens. He immediately seeks to help them find their other lost child, prioritizing them over his own interests. He really really cares for them, for Fan standards.

All of The Prime Shimmer is so incredibly influential for him to recognize in this way. He actually puts in effort for others instead of sticking to old habits like he does, and I think his general feelings for them are what drives Fan toward progress since what he feels for them is outside of Inanimate Insanity. It's the main hope for Fan's improvement as a person, and I'm very glad Test Tube can still represent that feeling of "being outside of the show" because she came to save him from the ship if that makes sense, she's a part of this to some extent for him. Its lovely.

There's something so beautiful about Fan feeling so much love and protection for the entirety of The Prime Shimmer, creatures that are so removed from the show, something he wasn't made to love or care for. It makes it feel very genuine, caring for it in a way he doesn't care for the other contestants. Through caring about something outside the show, he also learned how to care about Test Tube and recognize her as separated from it, seeing her as an actual person which he rarely can do for many.

It's so fun how Fan can just always tie back to themes of change. Fan, notoriously inflexible and stubborn, allows himself to perceive change and opens his mind to that development to protect the lives he's learned to care for. Starts crying. i think this guy will be the end of me

anyway thanks for reading my insanity.. Fan is willing to try for the prime shimmer which can extend to other people he cares for yay

[flowersandmiel]

I've finally met Hunted during his main chapter The Beast (I'd only met him during The Eye of the Needle and the chapters where they're all here) AND OMG I LOVE HIM SM??

Not judging or anything (/gen), but I'd only seen him be characterized in fics with this sort of "overwhelmed and animalistic anxiety" in fics, instead of what I would describe as a "hypervigilant and quick-thinking survival-driven fear" during the Eye of the Needle. And it just kinda confused me bc like, how could he act so different in Eye of needle compared to the Beast and Den?? But that's the thing, he doesn't, the fic just weren't accurate /nm (i still loved those fics btw /gen)

it just reminds me of this post about Paranoid i reposted not long ago about how fandom tends to stick to one character trait of a character and overly exaggerate it to the point it's almost mischaracterizing said character.

and it also reminds me of another character from another fandom who's a bird-like creature too, and they both get mischaracterized in that similar sort of dehumanizing way?

I'm not sure how to explain but i'll try

Basically, It's just so obvious that the author loves the fact that the character is bird-like, that they do not realise that they're kinda 'feti$hising' them??

And like, i've got nothing about letting a half-human half-animal character lean into their animal instincts, but I find it strange how many people do not realise the way they write it is just not believable at all. You can have a character lean into their bird side without having them be dehumanized and infantilized by the narrative. They're not an animal, they're part animal.

Idk, maybe it's because I grew up being dehumanised and infantilised, but if I was part animal/part human, and that i needed to let myself lean into my instincts, I wouldn't take well being treated by my friends as if I'm only an animal???? Or called 'birdie' or shit like that??? Like, i know i don't like pet names in general, but i can't be the only one who find calling a half bird half human character 'birdie' kinda weird?? I'm sure most mean it in a very sweet way btw, but i always think that if i was a half cat half human, and i was called 'catgirl' or 'kitty', i wouldn't take it well lmao?? even as teasing???

Kinda reminds me of how dehumanized and infantilized disabled people are. Having "animalistic behaviors" does not make one less human. idk how else to say it.

I'm not sure I'm making any sense, i've seen nobody talk about this and it makes me feel kinda lonely ngl x,)

I just needed to ramble a bit about it, it's not an "issue" only related to STP btw, which is why im talking about it actually xP it's weird how many fandoms i've seen this phenomenon in. I know many people only create art for fun and simply do not care about believability, and they have every right to do so, but sometimes i think that some people just genuinely do not think about it because nobody talks about it!! I'm only sharing this in hope that I can make authors self-reflect a bit so they can write "better" :)

Just, remember please. You're writing characters with consciousness. They're not animals, they're not birds, they're not just their instincts, they're not just their wings. Even while being chased, Hunted isn't nothing more than his instincts, he's clever, a quick-thinker, observant, worried, has good reflexes, takes risks, his voice is soft, maybe he'd even be delicate if he wasn't being chased! and many others! He's more than his name, than his title, than his instincts. He's not just a prey, he's a Voice, created to help us survive and out of fear of the Princess.

(btw im not using examples i've seen in fics bc i think it'd be rude af to do that.)(i've still mostly enjoyed the fics i've read that had this problems btw <3, i just couldn't get it out of my head and i hate that i see nobody speaking about it so, here i am ig!)

[technikki]

Could you talk about the mario yaoi to me. I've only got little glimpses from your posts and I'm sadly not aware of the big picture

ABSOLUTELY DEAR MUTUAL i will talk about luisley any day they make me so so sick i love them ihope they EXPLODE.

so this got long but whatever anyway!!! heres skyes compilation of ACTUAL REAL THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN MARIO AND LUIGI SUPERSTAR SAGA FOR THE GAMEBOY ADVANCE.

upon meeting him for the first time, prince peasley gives luigi a rose, accompanied by this line:

the remake has an added detail in a later scene that shows luigi keeps the rose tucked away under his hat for safekeeping. also this rose is used to show the castle guards they are friends of the prince so they'll be granted entry to the castle and is only needed the first time they go there. despite that, the rose remains in your inventory (likely under luigis hat <3) for the entirety of the game

at the end of this same scene peasley flies away on his little winged cushion thing (bean... creature? is it alive? i have no fucking clue) and zips right past luigi, twirling him around on his way out

the second time they run into each other and at multiple other points throughout the game, luigi will get excited upon seeing peasley and start waving his hat to greet him. he waves like this when peasley exits multiple scenes too, while also saying "bye-bye!". peasley is the only character he does this for with any consistency

at one point the mcguffin gets split into pieces and scattered across the kingdom, and mario and luigi offer to help peasley search for them. he makes a bet with the bros that he can gather the pieces before them, prompting luigi to run up to him and go "oh yeah!". peasley takes this as a challenge, apparently, because this causes him to, and i could not fucking make this up if i tried, pull out his sword and repeatedly jab luigi in the ass with it, causing him to blush a very bright red and start giggling like an idiot

note: and i don't know why this is the case, but if you do not progress the dialogue once he starts doing this, peasley will continue to poke luigi for as long as there is no player input. for more info check out prince peasley pokes luigi for 5 minutes on youtube <3

while collecting one of the pieces, luigi comes across a piranha plant that has eaten peasley and defeats it, saving him. note that this scene takes place in an area that you can only get luigi into. the game makes a point of separating him from mario for this scene. for some reason[winks with both eyes

peasley has also been shrunken down here (long story) and luigi thinks of a way to get him back to normal, prompting peasley to say "to think you know such cool moves! you're a real zero... i mean hero!". something interesting about this scene is that peasley's slip-up here varies depending on what language you're playing in. probably the most famous example is the german translation, where peasley attempts to say "hut ab!" (hats off!) and instead says "hose runter" (pants down. no i'm not joking.) my personal favorite is the spanish translation, where he attempts to say "eres ingenioso!" (you're ingenious!) and instead says "eres delicioso" (take a guess). regardless of what translation you play and what peasley ends up saying, luigi becomes very flustered and starts laughing again

one thing about this game is that it was one of the very first games that decided to actually give luigi any actual relevance (the only earlier one ican think of is luigi's mansion. infact im pretty sure that's the only one), he was still known more or less as just marios palette-swapped "player-2" brother, and they decided to lean very hard into this with how he is treated in-universe. it is a running gag that mario is obviously a very well-known and beloved hero, while luigi is constantly being ignored and made fun of, and barely anyone can ever seem to even remember his name. some characters do treat him with equal respect to mario, but peasley is the only character that not only consistently seems to focus on luigi, but also cannot seem to be bothered with remembering mario's name. peasley calls them the mario bros a few times and there is one point where peasley does address mario directly by name, and its a scene that luigi is not present for. which suggests that peasley does indeed remember mario's name and is trying to make luigi feel a little more special which is honestly really sweet and i hate him so much

at one point luigi has to make an emergency leap out of a plane (longer story) and peasley flies up to meet him. a little bird flies by and, because luigi is uniquely hated by the universe itself, pecks through the cord of his parachute and causes him to begin plummeting out of the sky. peasley attempts to catch him, but because he is an idiot with way too much self-confidence and cannot catch a grown man falling at top speed, luigi simply knocks him right off his little cushion thing and they both end up falling. however there is a split second where it looks like he might end up holding luigi bridal style

peasley is able to make a perfect landing after this scene by using his cape as a parachute, but luigi's landing is. not as graceful and he ends up plunging headfirst into the sand, getting stuck. peasley finds this rather charming and proceeds to laugh and comment on his "luigi dunk"

this is another scene where translators decided to have some fun as well: in the german translation peasley calls him what roughly translates to "an amusing little darling" and in i believe the french translation he calls him something like "clumsy but adorable". basicaly he thinks luigi is very funny and very cute

eventually peasley decides he is going to go fight the main villain himself despite being told how incredibly dangerous it would be, because he does not want to impose on the bros any more than he feels they already have. his mother attempts to reason with him but he runs off anyway, causing luigi to collapse into tears at the thought of something bad happening to him

the ending scene of the game shows mario luigi and friends saying goodbye to the beanish royals at the airport. upon seeing peasley, luigi jumps up and begins actually running at him to hug him.

unfortunately, because luigi cannot have anything ever in his life, peasley is not paying attention (idiot) and continues moving upward, causing luigi to faceplant on the tarmac. he cries after this </3

ALSO have to give a shoutout to these panels from the official manga (scans by my awesome friend @/bowletta btw):

(the pink katakana literally says doki doki dude get it together)

(COME ON.)

so YUUUUP basically they're genuinely one of the most inexplicably gay-coded relationships in any nintendo game and i wish more people knew about peasley because he's a really funny character and his relationship with luigi is extremely cute. heart

[markerofthemidnight]

Okay. I can’t do this.

Originally, I was going to post this anonymously- and in a considerably shorter way- on some confessions ask blog, but… this whole “Cinderella’s Castle has fascist undertones” drama is pissing me off so much that I’m just gonna rant about it here. No holding back, no anonymity, nothing but just hoping that the positive reception outweighs the negative.

And… well, there’s no way to put anything of what I’m about to say kindly and lightly. So I’m just not going to try. Which means I’m gonna get… well, really mean in my rant under the cut. You’ve been warned.

*sigh*

Now, I don’t really know what the situation is with Ella becoming queen (although, to fight fire with fire, it is really sus that people are calling the first Starkid show with a black protagonist fascist because she becomes queen in the end, almost as if they think black people can’t be trusted with leadership of a country…) and why people are making a big deal out of it, but I do know the situation with the trolls. People are calling the trolls’ depiction as purely evil creatures either antisemitism or transmysogynistic or both.

And to that I say… guys… I didn’t even know what a hooked nose was and why that was a problem until I looked it up 30 minutes ago. That’s how tiny of a deal it is. Just because a character has a prominent hooked nose does not mean that they’re supposed to be Jewish. What that means is that they have a character design that revolves around them being ugly. Because prominent hooked noses are traditionally seen as unnatural and creepy, and in modern media they are usually depicted as part of the design of things like cartoon witches. Who are meant to look ugly.

It’s just character design. Stop looking so deep into it.

And on the other hand… you’re saying it’s transmysogynistic because creatures who “aren’t really women” are skinning “real” women and wearing their skin? Who the hell is saying that the trolls aren’t women?! They are! They’re woman trolls! Their womanhood is pretty deeply rooted into the core of their characters! Have you even heard of “get gross girls”?!

Look, one of my first main points about this is… well… maybe it’s best to show and hold off telling:

The Lords in Black are treated like otherworldly beings covered in bright colours who break the laws of reality simply by existing, use their immense power to do harm to people, and their ultimate goal is to take over the galaxy and reshape it to their liking. This means that the Lords are clearly supposed to represent depictions of Gen Z, queer, neurodivergent, woke left people from the perspectives of the far right, therefore all of Hatchetfield is right-wing propaganda and needs to be shut down immediately.

You see the point I’m making with this?

The point I’m making is that… the people making these claims are doing it because of problems that only exist because of how they chose to interpret certain things. That’s how death of the author works. You could make literally anything into fascist propaganda if you choose to interpret it that way. It is so easy to say things like this. For example:

Twisted? Has a politician as its protagonist, and when he’s blamed for genuine problems in the kingdom that people are getting hurt by it’s treated like a bad thing, therefore it’s political propaganda.

Firebringer? Openly makes fun of religion several times, therefore it’s atheist propaganda.

Starship? Depicts an ugly humanoid bug stealing the brain-dead body of a man to pilot it as his own, therefore it’s transandrophobic propaganda.

Before we close things off here, I’d like to say, no I do not genuinely believe that these people think that any of this was intentional. But if anything, that pisses me off more because they’re treating their interpretation of the text like a bigger deal than the author’s interpretation of it, despite knowing that said interpretation is completely different from theirs. That’s my problem here. The death of the author is the birth of the reader, yes, but surely the original, intended interpretation still has to hold some meaning, right?

Which brings us to my final point. The trolls are meant to represent domestic abusers. That’s clearly it. That’s why they wear human skin in the day and can only show their true form under the cover of darkness. They’re abusers hiding in plain sight. It’s also why they’re such good psychological manipulators, because that’s a very common trait of abusers, and it’s also why they’re treated as inherently evil creatures. Because how many people have ever heard of domestic abusers who became better people eventually? Like, I’m not saying that can’t happen… but it just doesn’t.

I don’t need to continue on about this, but… like… I feel like the people saying this are only doing it because they just didn’t like the show? Like, they didn’t like it and this whole thing is just them coming up with bullshit to justify their hatred of it?

Okay, that last part’s definitely gonna get me a few anonymous death threats in my asks, but… I mean, I did warn you that I wasn’t gonna be nice during any of this.

TLDR: Art is subjective. And art may have political undertones if you choose to look at it that way, but that doesn’t mean you should let the undertones define the art itself. A world that’s obsessed with being morally correct all of the time would also be one that’s really boring. Now shut up and start enjoying art instead of looking for reasons to hate it. And if you don’t agree with me, just block me instead of refuting, because that makes things a lot easier for all of us.

[brownwomanisland]

Thoughts on Harry Potter book series - 11 paragraphs

So I read the entire Harry Potter series from the Philosopher's Stone to the Deathly Hallows and I have some thoughts. I went in there for a few reasons: familiar subject to help me get back into reading, filling in gaps I had from only watching the movies, and to find out if some of the discourse I've seen online is accurate.

First, I'm so happy to have read the books. It was really fun to compare what I remember from the movies to the books and often times I understood the screenwriter's decisions to remove some elements or spice it up. I won't go into specifics right now but I think the movies captured the essence of the books - different to the nitty gritty details - well. I'd rate the entire book series an 8/10 to be honest.

Secondly, a lot of what I've read on people's views about the books and characters seem to be projection of their dislike of the author onto the characters tbh. I went in trying to find out if Hermione was misogynistic or a self-insert of JKR or if her S.P.E.W element was white saviourism or if goblins were supposed to represent Jewish folks and.... none of that really passes the canon test to be honest.

Hermione is an insufferable know it all but she's loyal and caring and does her best but she likes being right and it's easy to find her annoying sometimes. Her and Ginny's dislike of Fleur don't scream misogyny as much as it did jealousy. I don't know much about JKR the individual to see any self-insert but Hermione was consistent as a character. I still love her and her annoying ways <3. In the Goblet of Fire when Ron is being nasty about some girl's looks, she says that she has a nice personality and that her acne isn't even bad anymore. She encouraged Ginny to go date other people so she would stop being so freaked out about Harry. She loves being right so she lacks tact but she's always advocated for people to be treated fairly.

With regards to S.P.E.W., she is an imperfect activist as any 13 year old would be but I do not think it fair to consider her a white saviour. Hermione doesn't get enough flack for that jinx on the Dumbledore army that scarred Marietta - her one anti girl's girl move but to be fair, she didn't know it would be a girl who would tell on them. Otherwise, it's through her and at times Hagrid's and Lupin's eyes that we learn the Wizarding world is very prejudiced, even non pureblood frenzy people like our next main character - Ron.

Ron is unsympathetic to most magical creatures to the point where I found myself irritated at times because he's generally well-meaning but insensitive and mostly insecure as a character. He won't call anyone a Mudblood but he's ready to separate himself from the likes of werewolves, giants, goblins. I bet if he never met Hermione, he would be among the Wizarding folk that aren't blood supremacist but who don't care or think much of the well-being of other magical creatures beyond daily usage and comfortability.

With regards to the goblins and Jewish people slant, I don't see it. I understand as an adult that there are stereotypes alluded to each religion - some of which are very well earned (e.g. religious fundamentalists are prone to extremism) - but I can't see this particular point as anything but a massive tell and self-own. I didn't like Griphook as a character nor the goblins' logic of anything goblin made is always theirs even if you paid for it and they expect you to keep paying for it as long as the original purchaser is dead (like what? Don't be greedy). Call me ignorant but goblins are a mythical creature here and that's it. The centaurs are also an annoying group but they also echo the sentiment the goblin's shared about not being like humans and not sharing the same values.

Onto Harry now, he is ... nice if dislikeable at times but in the way I find Hermione dislikeable. The movie cuts out a few things that would make audiences less sympathetic to him but ultimately he is a likeable person with flaws. Every character in the book has flaws. Aside, fuck Snape. Harry should have named his pet that, not his son.

So imagine I go into the series trying to find proof of JKR's racism and misogyny and antisemitism and I come out with a story that I think talks about all of those things in the way a story written through the eyes of a male orphaned teenage boy can. If the story were as bad as people who hate the author think, it would never have so much merch and spin-offs and adaptations, and versions, and theme parks. Sure, some people can be annoying (dramione shippers, book snape lovers, people who hate marauders fans, marauders shippers, people who write racist rape fics) but the story is alive and well done. Some elements might be awkward and some characters may feel sidelined but there's a lot of room to add meat but there's also a WORLD to play in.

The elements I think were handled awkwardly were the shoehorning of Lupin and Tonks - I wish we got more of them. I actually wish we got more of Andromeda as well - I can see why she's a fanfic favourite - someone who can easily be mistaken for Bellatrix but seems to be her total opposite but also her baby sister? - that's ripe for fanon. Personally I wanted Draco Malfoy dead - avada kedavra that racist.

I can't stand Dumbledore. He's imperfect and a little more than manipulative. We learn that Severus is the reason Potter's family is dead and that was never Dumbledore's secret to keep from Harry especially with the way Snape terrorized children. He let that man bully the child and did nothing about it except chastise Harry everytime he said Snape instead of Professor Snape. Dumbledore keeps his and other's secrets and plays everyone like a chessboard instead of speaking openly to them as equals. Fuck him and his eye twinkle lol.

Snape was a coward and honestly the only person fit to write a book on him is also Rita Skeeter. He was a pureblood supremacist for most of his life, he bullied children, he bullied the child he's partly responsible for making an orphan (who he had no intentions of ever hiding with Lily's husband). If any character was a shoehorn, I think it was Snape. That chapter was not a redemption arc as some people say. He was not an anti hero so much as a reluctant spy because his "all mudbloods must die" leader of the "all mudbloods must die" club he WILLINGLY joined killed his favourite mudblood lol. Fuck that man. If anything, Snape was given a ... curve to keep Alan Rickman on the series because book Snape is so fucking tedious but Alan Rickman as Snape was glorious - I liked his sassiness.

Now I think of some fanfics I've read with some author notes I've read and I think - that's projection, that's fanon, that never happened, why are you writing racist porn? But now I see the inspiration for Dark Harmione fics (as long as there's no rape and incest) because honestly, she has a bit of a mean streak canonically (but I support women's wrongs sometimes).

[teeny-tiny-revenge]

Today I'm thinking about Ed's reaction to the marmalade. No, not about that it's very good. (I wanted a gif of this moment and it was the only one I could find.)

I'm thinking about Ed's face after Stede's "Ship's stores are loaded with it. Had to get rid of some gunpowder, but I think it was the right decision."

Ed is surprised, shocked maybe, but you never get the idea that Ed thinks the load of marmalade is frivolous or a waste of space (as a lot of other characters would!). But Ed's eyes are wide with wonder. Ed is impressed. Ed is fucking inspired. (And a little bit in love already, but that's beside the point.)

Because Ed is a survivor. Ed has built his entire life around surviving, and he's successful at it, he's going grey in a career that tends to cut your life pretty short, he's built this entire act and persona up for the sole purpose of ensuring his safety and survival, and when challenged and threatened later in the series (before he completely loses his will to continue surviving like this) we see Ed throw away anything pleasurable in favour of holding up the sword and shield of Blackbeard and the Kraken.

Ed is a guy who has learned to prioritise survival over anything else. Ed's stores are certainly full of gunpowder, no space for even a jar of marmalade left. Ed lived a life, from young age on, that taught him that he doesn't get to have nice, pleasurable, fun and comforting things. He keeps his one nice comforting scrap hidden away inside his leather armour. He has more money than you can shake a stick at, but he doesn't have any luxuries. He doesn't even have comforts. He has knick-knacks. But he doesn't have soft robes to sleep in, he doesn't have the damn good whiskey Stede keeps in his cabin (although he could easily afford it!), and he certainly doesn't have good marmalade. Ed doesn't treat himself. Ed is a survival guy and he has survival necessities. Ed only has gunpowder. He doesn't have marmalade.

And here comes Stede, with his fancy boat full of fancy things that aren't helpful to survive on the seas. It's a ship full of joyful little pleasures. It's got a library, a nice cozy fireplace, two fucking chandeliers (overkill!), it's stocked with good brandy, and two full closets of nice clothes, and its captain prioritised tasty marmalade for breakfasts over gunpowder for survival.

Because the Revenge isn't built for survival. Stede was done surviving (he'd run away from just surviving). He was probably aware he might not have a long life out on the sea, but Stede didn't come to survive. Stede came to live. And he was going to live to the fullest. He stocked his ship with all the things that he found make life worth living. (Stede later learns that he doesn't need all the things to enjoy life, but that he needs friends and his lover, but that's not the point here.) Stede designed his ship to be fun. To be a nice place to live. The Revenge is full of creature comforts. A full bathtub! Can you imagine Ed to have a full bathtub on his old ship? I can't. Because Ed has spend his life so busy surviving that until he's almost dead he doesn't stop to consider what makes his life worth living. And then it's so simple things he comes up with. (Creature comforts!)

Ed has lived a life of denying himself nice things in favour of things he hates but that are "safe". Ed lives in a house full of gunpowder. And he's choking on it, it's killing him, but he doesn't think there's another way. And then comes a guy who goes "oh actually, I replaced a lot of my gunpowder (not all btw) with this super tasty marmalade so I can have nice breakfasts". And to Ed that's life changing. Look at his face next time you rewatch, when he turns to Stede. This is a guy who just had an epiphany, who just had someone crumble his world view in the best of ways. You don't only have to keep gunpowder. You can also have marmalade, because marmalade is nice. You should live rather than just survive.

And we see Ed try to embrace this. With Stede, and for a brief time before Izzy happens to him, even on his own, Ed lets himself have nice things. He wears comforting clothes and eats the marmalade from the stores. Because it's nice to live a little even when you're sad. And then he goes back to just surviving, and he can't do it. He's tasted marmalade, he can't deal with being stuck with nothing but gunpowder anymore.

But he does survive, and Stede comes back, and they spend the night together and the next morning Blackbeard's getup is tossed away tied to a cannonball (a companion to the gunpowder), and for Ed there's toast with marmalade in bed.

Because Ed chose life. And to live means to have things to enjoy. Like good marmalade to start the day.

[shirefantasies]

First off, congratulations on 300 followers 🎉 I’m a big fan of your work! I was wondering if you could write about the different elf characters and how they would react to realizing they have feelings for a hobbit! reader?

Thank you & my apologies for the late response on this one 😅 but this is a fun one so let's see!

The Elves Realizing Their Feelings for Hobbit!Reader

Thranduil

Denial penetrates every corner of the woodland king's mind- such a humble creature, known not in the slightest for their ways of allure, and yet you permeate his thoughts so! Surely it was your reaction to the sight of him, the simplicity of your manner that was ever so refreshing. Thranduil knows little more than reverence to a fault, cowing and great shows and yet…you see him. You treat him as anyone else. No fanfare, but no expectations either. No doubts. Thus he works to doubt you less, to make less assumptions about your ability and even jokes about your stature. He finds as you talk that you share a love of nature, all your reverence dedicated almost solely to the earth’s growing things, the way roots seek what they need. Thranduil does the same, you point out, and ever does he endure in his place of nourishment, but sometimes any plant needs a good repotting. Astute, very astute, and yet your words strike his heart like an arrow. You, he wishes to say, are his repotting. But perhaps he should put that more romantically… all the greatest shows of elvenkind for a mere hobbit. Who would have thought? Thranduil reflects with a fond, amazed smile.

Feren

From the moment he grabbed hold of you, knife pressed to the back of your neck, Feren puzzled at the way his heartbeat sped, not yours. You were no threat to him, you were nothing in fact save an intruder in his lord Thranduil's realm, one of many his patrol took into custody. You were the smallest, he noticed, and certainly the least deadly if the startled, pleading look in your eyes was anything to go off of. Why did you keep... No, he could hardly relent, not when he had orders to- "You are afraid?" He found himself whispering to you, hiding his gaze upon you by hovering it over you and the other hobbit. You nod and he begins to whisper words of comfort to you, explaining that while stubborn, his king was nothing if not benevolent and would likely simply detain you. No harm would come your way. When indeed Thranduil sentenced your odd company to imprisonment, he found himself strolling to your cell time and time again, offering you food and drink and answering your rapid fire of questions ranging from what would happen to you to soon what customs were practiced in the Woodland Realm. "I think this place is beautiful," you told him, "I think if I were to rot anywhere, I am glad that it is to be here." "I think so, too," Feren agreed, and why he spoke the next part he still did not know, "And I do not think that shall be your fate." It was not until he walked away from you, considering what things he might bring to show you, that he realized how attracted to you he truly had become.

Legolas

Finds himself studying you, gaze unable to fall from you for too long, searching your every movement. Suddenly his interest in hobbits has increased tenfold; in fact, Legolas begins speaking more to Frodo and Sam about their customs, favorite things back in the Shire. His heart swells further for it just as you, taking in with bright eyes every spray of harebell and piping hot cup of lavender tea with scones and little gift of courtship presented to the hobbit of one's dreams. Pastoral, joyful, many delights absent from the prince's own upbringing- what a breath of fresh air you are! But what does he say to you? If possible, the elven prince finds himself even quieter than normal, simply captivated by your every motion. As a result he leans upon conveyance through action, rushing to your defense in battle and being there to catch you when you fall, enjoying in the briefest moments the feeling of his hands about your waist.

Haldir

Years have worn him. Battles have hardened him. Customs have dictated he be free of emotion as much as possible, or else suppress display of them for decorum. You, by contrast, are so innocent, almost painfully so and every sight of your wide, shining eyes has Haldir swearing to protect you. The world cannot take away your wonder, your sweetness, the good you see in all people. Oh, he cannot even wish immortal life upon you for all its horrors, and does he even wish it for himself? The small being remaining within him cries out for your life, to be swept off to your Shire and work hard at cultivating joy above all else. While that future may not lie ahead of him, he seeks it in every question he asks, every story he requests. Often does he marvel at your hidden strengths and wonders, especially in such a deceptively small package.

Galadriel

Oh, the way you charm and flatter her! Someone so small yet without any fear in the world as you spill the sweetest words before her. Galadriel cannot help smiling, especially when you gently take her hand and she sees just how small yours looks in hers. She begins to dream of ways she could hold you, how she can reach down to cup your cheeks… And then without warning she is lost in reverie. Her space is yours and you all but have free rein of her home. All from these unexpected, wildly blossoming feelings. Secretly she wishes you would still seek her out, but Galadriel knows above all that that choice is yours. She will simply have to wait and see and hope each dream she shares of simple joys like a riverside walk or even drawing closer to you in greater, deeper ways from the recesses of her mind, are shared by you…

Lindir

These unfamiliar sensations he experiences in your presence can only be one thing. The desire to run his fingers through your curls, surely soft as they appear. The way you have become his muse, inspiring more than a single song. You have a greater appreciation for arts than Lindir must admit he would have expected of the Shire-folk, and your wonder has him wishing to experience it all again for the first time. Is he to speak these things aloud? Does he dare? Whatever might Lord Elrond think if his servant were to do such a thing? Not, of course, that he has not wished Lindir great happiness. Happiness. Your smile, so genuine, sincere as your bright words. Yes, you are happiness, and such cannot go unspoken, or perhaps unsung…

Elrond

Many words have been spoken of the quiet strength of hobbits, quite a few of them by the Lord of Imladris himself. You are no exception to this, appearing before him as a little blaze of fire unafraid to make demands at council. He cannot even fight, just chuckle and hear your terms, and he wonders if you take notice of the way the others look at his soft response. Why, he wonders, is he being so giving- simple appreciation for the pastoral little folk and all they symbolize for the joy and hope of the world? Perhaps, but a part of him is forced to admit… He is attracted to you. Much time has passed since Elrond has been met with such a force, and quite simply put it stirs something in him. Much as he has endured in this world, your desire to fight for every joy you've ever known rings true to Elrond's own creation of a house of comfort...in your own special way. He cannot help but smile as he listens to you.

Arwen

Developing a little habit for teasing you, Arwen always manages to slink behind you and offer to help you reach something off a high shelf, voice low and lips curved upward. She is older than her visage suggests, wiser, thus you are not the first hobbit to cross her path and she looks upon you with no great shock. She does, however, seek to show a greater level of respect than the so-called 'little folk' tend to be shown. During discussions with her father and the other elves, Arwen smiles and waves you forward, especially if you happen to be shy, then her affection only grows, a hand falling over your shoulder and her smile widening. The more time you spend together, the more this happens, Arwen taking your hand to wish you well, sliding a hand over your waist to move past you, even playfully nudging you when you run together and always keeping pace with you. She is comfortable with you, she realizes, happiest at your side, and that is when it sinks in: she loves you.

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[beebfreeb]

I love how you depict your characters throughout their lives instead of at only one fixed age and point in time. Do you have any tips for writing child characters and childhoods? I've been trying to do that for my own OCs and I was surprised at how hard it is to write something that feels authentic!

Thank you so much! It is one of my favorite things to do.

I'm not really sure what to say in the way of advice, but nobody ever ends up the way they do without a reason for it.

I like thinking of characters economic backgrounds, where they grew up, what kind of people their parents were, etc. Did they have a lot of friends as a kid? No? Why not? How did the way their peers treat them affect them?

A lot of the times I start out with my "end goal" of a person who acts a certain way, think about "how would somebody get that way?" and then once I have that I can go back and flesh out their "future" behaviors even more.

There isn't an entirely clear divide between how a character acts as a child and as an adult. There is just a collection of relationships and events that build up onto each other, and I find it interesting to explore each point in time in detail.

Also it is important to keep in mind that generally children have less freedoms, less responsibilities, and are afforded less respect by adults. They're very often at the whims of people around them who do not entirely view them as "other people who are younger" and moreso as some sort of strange little creature.

Using Breaker Hidalgo as an example:

As a character who was originally a video game mascot homunculus, it was a fun challenge thinking about "What would turn an infant human being into an adult that acts like that?"

On the surface this character is: A vain and flashy person who draws attention to himself. He acts like the smartest person in the room and never takes anybody else seriously. He seems to have no issue trying to manipulate others or just lying to their faces. Overall, he's incredibly self centered.

Now, how do we get there?

Firstly, giving him a background and some traits I want him to have. I wanted him to have grown up in Louisiana from a working class family. His mother is a southern white woman and his father is a Mexican immigrant. This, along with just the year he was born (1997) already gives a lot to him. He also has OCD, ADHD, and is queer and transmasc.

What would all this mean to a kid in the south who grew up kind of poor? How would he be seen by his peers? How would the adults in his life treat him? How does this follow him into his adulthood?

Breaker has always felt like he's performing. One wrong step and everyone would know that there's something wrong with him. He got to like pink and glitter until one day he was "too old for it" and was expected to grow up and act like a "grown woman". There was a lot of pressure to present as feminine from his family while also looking down at him for being so "obsessed" with appearance. He was never diagnosed with anything as a kid, and was viewed as "ditzy" and "bubbly" or as "particular" and "bitchy".

Then I can also think about specific relationships and events and how those would add onto or challenge the way he already is.

How would his parents being generally neglectful and emotionally absent affect him?

How would his mom calling him an "indigo child" and his brother going "you're smarter and more mature than other girls" affect him?

How would meeting Rock, another kid with a shitty home situation, affect him?

So on and so forth.

For me it is an endless cycle of "What if this happened? Well, why would that happen? What would it mean if that happened?"

[hg-aneh]

Hi! I absolutely love all of your art and I’ve been fallowing you for awhile! There’s been some rumors that you ship Muriel x crowley?? Which I guess is an odd paring but nothing terrible wrong with, I was just curious if you do ship them.

Thank you for all your wonderful art <3

okay, i want to preface this by saying that I've already been harassed over this to the point of being called a lowkey pedophile and having every little move of mine scrutinized and misconstrued to sickening extents (this harassment spilled over to my partner too, and it was horrible)

so all anyone would do by doing this again would be repeating history, among other things that have to do with fucking up my already frail mental state

now.

onto the meat

yes, I ship it

no, I do not see Muriel as a child, kid, teenager, or anything of the sort and I find it personally distasteful to think of doing so because infantilizing autistic traits rubs me the wrong way (p e r s o n a l l y)

you can do it if you want to, I have worse things to worry about than a random person on the internet thinking something of a fictional character, just don't try to push your headcanon onto me just because you perceive it that way or because it's a popular dynamic that you find fun

adding onto this, i want to add that i will never and i mean fucking NEVER post anything related to that ship outside of the very specific private Xitter account i created for it

(and my personal facebook, on a friends only setting)

any Muriel & Crowley content outside of that account is all platonic and bla bla you get the gist. I can separate things, what a talent.

Now, I'm being overly paranoid and explaining myself to exhaustion over this for a very good reason and it's because last time someone found out about it ((yes we're going full circle to the beginning of this little bible)) they treated it as some sort of GOTCHA moment about me being a pedo ((and if you didn't know this already: I fucking despise children with my whole being, I'd rather be forcefed alligator shit for my whole life than be with one of those creatures for a single day))

It got to the point of that person making extremely hurtful videos about me and their little friend group comprised of goober eating toddlers joining in on the "Hater" train or whatever the hell that new cultural trend is called, as well

It was hell, that whole experience fucked me up BAD and i feel silly for saying this but it was genuinely traumatic! So- I apologize if I'm sounding confrontational here, anon, but like, this is the type of thing you have to do to keep yourself safe now, it's gone to that point and I'm in hysterics now because what the fuck

Lastly, I'd like to say this one other thing

Muriel is played by an adult actress, they are canonically the same age as Aziraphale and Crowley and are also an eldritch creature just like them

The fact that they're nice and bubbly and happen to have autistic traits doesn't suddenly make them a fetus. I have friends with the same personality type as them and I feel like it'd be dumb to treat them like zygotes knowing they're adults with body hair and debt

Again, if you see them as one, I'm literally no one to judge, I'm 1.49, you're better off taking judgement from a stupid lone penguin in the saharan desert.

But don't fuck with others for thinking otherwise, it's not a moral issue to disagree with a headcanon, please. 🥲

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 44!

a day later than planned, but with another bunch of brilliant fics! and oh, the state of my marked for later list... so many good things coming...

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags (also for seaosn 8 spoiler purposes!) before reading!

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

50 cheeky texts | songbvrd/@songbvrd | 21k | M

Buck gets drunk-dared to send Eddie one cheeky text every day for 50 days. Eddie loses his mind. i love a fic that incorporates texting (and screen names!) so so much and this is no exception to that. a delightfully fun, fluffy read!

a little change of scenery | grangers_apprentice | 2.1k | GA

That still doesn’t mean that Buck doesn’t get nightmares. Fortunately for Buck, he doesn’t have to deal with them alone. Not when he has such a good best friend like Eddie. okay by now yall have to know that bed sharing/mutual pining etc etc are my absolute favourite things, and so it's no surprise that i loved this one <3

a madman and a minstrel | Maira/@mairaiscarrierofthepaperclips | 2.8k | T

the one where Eddie is drugged and confesses his feelings for Buck. To Buck. this was the absolute funniest loveliest read, exactly what i needed on a not-so-great day <3

cause i will be your safety | rogerzsteven/@rogerzsteven | 2.2k | GA

Buck has a leg cramp. Eddie helps him as he can. poor buck <3 this is brilliantly written, i loved eddie's inner dialogue!

clean laundry (and the love of all things mundane) | fearofgod | 26.2k | not rated

buck offers his apartment to bobby and athena, and living with eddie is easy. buck moving in with eddie before they get together is my favourite!! this is such a good read, i loved the domesticness of it all <3

i got all my sisters with me | ipretendtobesane | 6.8k | T

eddie's sister has a baby, buck meets the diaz girls, and they're sickeningly in love for nearly seven thousand words. the diaz siblings!! i love the diaz siblings!! so good so lovely such brilliant brilliant characterisation all around!!

i'd shout it from the rooftops | SymphonySoldier97/@sonofatoasterwaffle | 5.9k | E

Buck and Eddie dive head first into their honeymoon phase, take a page out of Buck 1.0's book, and remember their shiny new body cams- in that order. i clicked on this one SO FAST and it was absolutely everything i expected <3 best way to incorporate body cams in anything ever i think

insomnia baking | glorious_spoon/@glorious-spoon | 1.5k | T

Any normal person would say no. It's well past midnight, and while they don't exactly keep regular hours, he knows he woke Buck up just now. But it's not at all a surprise when Buck says, "Yeah, of course, be there in, like…" his voice fades and dips for a moment, like he's holding the phone away from his face. "Uh, half an hour?" late night baking my beloved <3 the emotional hurt/comfort hits so good!!

it only takes a taste (when it's something special) | weewooforever | 7k | E

Eddie shifts slightly and clears his throat again. “But can you answer my original question? What’s it like kissing a guy?” beautifully descriptive, feels so true to character!! i do love a little best friends exploring sex with each other hehe

they'd base movies off our lives but somehow they wouldn't suffice | creatures_that_dont_die/@creatures-that-dont-die | 3.1k | T

When he convinces Eddie to watch Hotshots with him, Buck starts to notice some similarities between the two of them and Jones and Sanchez, characters from the show. the hotshots-related fic i've been waiting for!! honestly having a show within the show is so much fun and i love how this fic treats it - special shoutout to this bobby as well <3

you could poison poison | oceanofchaos/@islandoforder | 4.1k | GA

There is a constant tension headache behind his eyes that’s been there for as long as he can remember, and it gets worse every single time someone who isn’t Maddie calls him ‘Evan’. this fic managed to take everything i was thinking about this episode and blend it all together in 4.1k of pure goodness. delightful episode coda!!